A consortium fronted by Amanda Staveley has agreed a £150m deal to buy a 25.1 per cent share in West Ham United.
The Times report that Daniel Kretinsky already owns 27 per cent of the club and his proposed deal to buy shares from the Gold family would have made him the biggest shareholder.
However, with the Amanda Staveley fronted consortium having prevented Kretinsky buying Gold family shares, he is now reported to be considering all options with regards to his West Ham involvement.
Amanda Staveley fronted the 2021 Newcastle United takeover, with the Saudi Arabia PIF and the Reuben family putting up the money.
This time it is Ashland Forest Capital Partners who are bringing the money to the table, with Amanda Staveley the public face of buying the stake in West Ham United.
David Sullivan owns 38.8 per cent and if he sold his shareholding to the Amanda Staveley fronted consortium, then it would mean yet another major English club under American control. Ashland Forest Capital Partners are a USA private investment firm.
Vanessa Gold, representing the Gold family, has now said: “On the 12th of June Daniel Kretinsky and I agreed a sale that would have made EP Group the single largest shareholder in West Ham. Unfortunately, since that time the original deal and other alternatives that we have discussed could not be brought to fruition.
“In light of this, I have now reached an agreement to sell my family’s shareholding to a consortium of PCP Capital Partners, led by Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, in partnership with Ashland Forest Capital Partners. While the process has not yet concluded, I wanted to be open with our fans about where things stand and my intentions.
“My ambition throughout this process has been to ensure the club has the right leadership and ownership to enable West Ham to achieve its potential and return to its rightful place in the Premier League.”
Interesting to see what now happens at West Ham, on and off the pitch, as they begin life in the Championship this month.